Psalm 37:7a

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Recently I’ve started my days in the
book of Matthew. I’ve been listening to
those familiar parables many of us know & love. It’s interesting how the Lord will spoon feed
His stubborn children another full, satisfying meal using the very same words…
only 10 years apart. Yet, He reveals completely new truths about Him &
often about ourselves. I used to believe
that every passage had one specific truth & all who studied it would gather
the same exact wisdom. But reality began
to sink in this morning that previously on my journey, the Father had led me to
those familiar verses… He had quietly whispered a different nugget of wisdom,
just as powerful… one that I had specifically needed for that time & place.
Truth is… the time spent in His word today, digesting the meal He had prepared
for me, will prove to be just as rich & refreshing, & is meant to give
me new insight & discernment. I am
reminded that the truths I gained the first time were only tidbits of the
wisdom He had in store for me. I had read it many times, contemplated
its meaning, even meditated on this parable… the one beginning in Matthew
13:24. Jesus said the farmer had sown good seed. Then the enemy came in during
the night & planted weeds while his servants were sleeping. When the
servants found the weeds growing up along with the wheat, they asked the farmer
if they should go out to the fields to pull up the weeds. But the wise farmer
said they must wait, for in the process of removing the weeds, they might hurt
the good seed too. He told them to allow the seeds & weeds to grow together…
& when it was harvest time, the weeds would be removed first, & then
the wheat could be safely gathered.

Isn’t this a great reminder of our
everyday lives? Often I get so distracted by weeds the enemy has planted in my
life that I spend all my time & energy trying to contend with them, instead
of focusing on the good seed that the Father has planted around me & in me.
How much joy have I forfeited being distracted from God’s best while trying to
deal with a “weed or two”. I know one thing for sure, weeds can come in many sizes
& varieties. Sad as it is, some weeds are planted in our lives in human
form. And I admit, they can occasionally suck the joy right out of me. I allow
them to distract me from enjoying the Father & celebrating His presence. Whether
they show up in my neighborhood, my workplace, my church or my Facebook page, the
Father wants me to turn my gaze away from them & back to Him. Some weeds
are only revealed in my attitude, & often cause my heart to become “ugly as
sin”… so to speak. I fail to recognize those weeds until I see them in the
light, after spending much needed time with Jesus. But even “ugly” doesn’t
always turn my eyes away immediately, & I can become bogged down in the
muck of despair in a quick moment. (can anyone else relate?) Oh yes… other weeds can be quite delightful to
have around… & I tend to question my “good judgement”, thinking perhaps I
am being too critical of something that appears to be harmless. (so not true) I
admit right now that the enemy has become quite good at deceiving me like that.

Before I know it, especially on exhausting
days, I’ve turned my gaze from what is “good seed”… those blessings from the
Father that are meant to nourish my soul. Sometimes… I get so consumed with my
efforts of “dealing with weeds” that I don’t even notice my appetite for God’s
best is almost non-existent. This in turn, renders me quite apathetic to His loving
invitation. He invites me to come alongside Him & experience the best He
has planned for me on this amazing journey called life. Again, I confess that I
too often feed my soul with the weeds… & I am left empty… & powerless…
& useless to the One who has created me to be His hands & feet, right
here in this hungry, starving-for-love world that I live in. How this must
break my Father’s heart…

I’m convinced that few of us can be
completely rid of the weeds in our own “fields” (and in our hearts) on a daily
basis. Try as we might, the weeds will always be there & the enemy will
always try to distract us from enjoying what the Father planted in advance. So starting
today, & hopefully until Jesus returns, I will strive to carefully tend to His
“good seeds”… and I will also strive to be grateful that He has generously
planted such an abundance of them in my life.

Multiplying blessings in the blink of an eye…

It all started with 3 weddings in 6 months... Then 9 grandbabies in 9 years. I sure LOVE my blessings! Aydin, Boston, Avry, Jaxson, Mira, Charlie, Wyatt, Josslyn and Sammi. And of course, those six special kids that actually gave me the privilege of becoming a Nana!

Dartha Lewis

Join me on my journey...Friday, March 13, 2015 Much of my scribblings over the years have had to do with “my struggles” and “God’s comfort”, especially during those seasons without answers. Finding “rest” has been a lifetime pursuit. Just when I think I have attained it, I find that rest is fleeting... mostly because my faith is fleeting. In recent years, I have come to understand that "resting in His grip" is a daily journey... Not just a once and forever accomplishment. I have been asked to share my writings, my random thoughts and my poetry many times over the years, but never felt I had been through anything others might be experiencing… until recently. The last few years I have discovered that there are so many people around each of us that can relate to the God-given desire, the unquenchable longing to “Rest in Him”. So today I am finally ready to share what I've discovered about His overwhelming grace and mercy, and along the way, I hope to share with others some glimpses of HIS amazing track record in my life.